12 Retail Scene Discovering Balmuda at Tsutaya Electrics Store
18 Opinion Satoshi Wada, CEO of SWdesign
22 Lineup I The five products in the Air Solution category
24 Inner Space Unpacking the design and technology of the Air Solution category
34 Lineup II The three products in the Kitchen category
36 Test Putting the Kitchen category products into action
42 Opinion Sukwoo Lee, CEO of SWNA
46 In Use How Balmuda products are used in commercial spaces
52 Voices Four appliance designers give their take on Balmuda
60 Opinion Moonkyu Choi, power blogger
64 At Home The spaces and lifestyle philosophies of Balmuda users
78 Small Giants The small businesses shaping Japan's premium appliances market
92 Brand Story The birth and growth of Balmuda
102 Record The brand's creative process as documented on its social media
106 Partnership The diverse partners that collaborate with Balmuda
110 Creative Department Balmuda's creative team on the design process and work culture
114 Interview Gen Terao, President of Balmuda
120 Figures Balmuda's past and present in numbers
122 Prizewinners Understanding design trends through Balmuda's design prize wins
125 Outro
Welcome to the 57th edition of magazine B.
Looking back to twenty or thirty years ago, I remember how rare it was for my family members to gather around together outside of mealtimes. The few occasions this did happen, it was usually because of some new electronic device or appliance. We weren't a talkative bunch, but install a new TV in the living room, or a towering new air- conditioning unit next to the sofa, or a versatile new oven in the kitchen, and suddenly we had a lot more to say. Even if the new contraptions weren't the easiest to operate, and even if it took some time to figure out their countless functions, we never complained. As far as we knew, all machines were that way - unwieldy, intricate and somewhat temperamental. We bent over, kneeled down and performed with compliance whatever labor was required for their operation. This was the only way to get them to do what we wanted. We had to adapt to their needs. And even then we weren't guaranteed smooth and reliable operation. In this way, one by one, these appliances began to occupy the spaces in our home.
Things are different today. Our mobile phones have become "smart" phones, household appliances are as stylish as designer furniture, and we can even control our appliances from outside our homes. We hear enticing claims that advances in AI will mean fewer household chores for us. In short, our devices have begun adapting to our needs. In this edition, B looks at one of the brands at the center of this shift, none other than the Japanese home appliance brand, Balmuda. Launched in 2003 as a one-man computer accessories operation, today Balmuda is an oft talked-about maker of fans, toasters and air purifiers, among others. Unlike its big-name, large-scale competitors, Balmuda is not after quantity. After all, its entire line only includes some ten products. Instead, the company has focused on making maximum impact with minimal means, and no other brand today does it better. Balmuda's products make a lasting impression, not because of their size or multiplicity of functions but because of their unique sensibility. They capture the feeling of being in the wide outdoors, with a gentle breeze grazing your cheek. They recreate the taste of the freshly baked bread you had at that one bakery you happened on by chance during your trip overseas. The vase-shaped humidifier, for example, is designed to let the user pour water directly into it, with no separate water compartment to remove, fill and replace. Filling the humidifier feels like watering a potted plant, and so this simple action becomes immensely enjoyable. The material of the device, the design, the finish and other details only heighten this enjoyment. It's no wonder that users describe Balmuda products as being more like furniture than appliances.
Balmuda has made a name for itself on the strength of more than just its appliances. The functionality and technology behind its products are merely a means to an end. What really drives the company is the question of the value that technology brings to our lives. President Gen Terao explains that Balmuda does not develop technology just for technology's sake. The company engages in repeated research and experimentation only when there is a clear goal to create a certain kind of product. In terms of marketing, Balmuda is similarly focused. They forego the wordy descriptions of the products' specifications and complex underlying processes. The products essentially speak for themselves, eliminating the need for elaborate marketing or promotional strategies. It's the same dynamic we see when people fall in love. We can list off every quality we want in our ideal partner, but when we actually meet someone who makes us swoon, we don't have the words to explain why we love them.
In the course of getting to know Balmuda's products and talking to the people who use them, I was reminded of the items I love to use every day. And I realized that my fondness for them depended not on their price or their label but on the experiences I've accumulated with them. This is the kind of attachment that lasts.
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